Anthrax Found in US House of Representatives - 2001-10-20

Hazardous materials teams sweeping the U.S. Congressional complex in Washington have found evidence of anthrax in a House of Representatives office building Saturday. This is the third Congressional facility in which anthrax has been found, the first on the House of Representatives side of the Capitol.

The anthrax traces were found in the Ford office building a few blocks from the Capitol in a machine that bundles mail.

Physician John Eisold says the discovery is the result of the systematic inspection of all buildings in the Capitol Hill complex that has been going on since the first discovery of anthrax on the Senate side Monday.

"We have tested over 4,000 people and have not found any further positive findings than we have already reported, and at this time, none of the people who have demonstrated exposure have become symptomatic. This new finding in the Ford building is not surprising if you follow the trail of the mail," he said.

All mail to U.S. legislators is delivered to a central location. It is then divided between the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the House mail goes to the Ford Building.

It is thus possible that the anthrax traces found in the Ford building occurred when House mail came in contact with mail on the senate side that has been proven to contain anthrax.